St. Landry democrat., 1887-09-03

.
fore not understood, namely, the mode
of action of such medicines as quinine
in arresting chills and curing the other
manifestations of malarial poisoning.
About fifteen years ago it was demon
strated by Professor Binz that a solution
of quinine added to liquids containing
certain protOplasmic organisms produced
diminution, and finally an arrest of mo-
ton of such organisms. If the quinine
was present in sufficient quantity the ar
rest of motion was permanent; in other
words, the organisms were paralyZed or
killed. At that time this effect OF qui-
nine upon the lower organisms could not
yet be brought in relation with the action
of this remedy in curing malarial fever
Now, however, when we know-or, at
least, have good reason to believe-that
the cause of malarial fever is low para
site organism we can readily explain
how quinine acts in this disease.
c 1t has been demonstrated that in inter
mittent fever there is a parasitic animal
organism circulating in the blood with
the other elements of that fluid. A drug
is introduced into the blood which is
poisonous to the foreign organism, but
is innocuous in that quantity to the ele-
ments of the blood itself. When the
poison (quinine) comes in contact with
the foreign organism the latter becomes
gradually deprived of its vital activity,
and is through the usual vital processes
destroyed and gotten rid of, as noXious
matters generally are, by the excretory
organs. This may seem somewhat alb
struse to the non-professional reader,
but is really the simplest and most sat
isfactory theory that has ever been
preached to account for the effect of
quinine in malaria.
Regarding the use Of Quinine, word
may here be said as to its alleged PERM
cious effects when given in large doses
or for long periods of time. One of the
unfavorable effects of the drug is said to
! be loss of hearing. While temporary
deafness, lasting from one to four or five
days, is frequent after large doses of
quinine, permanent deafness is so rare
that it is doubtful whether half dozen
Northumberland cases are on record.
A French military surgeon in Algiers is
said to have given large doses of the
drug in over 5000 cases without produc-
ing single case of permanent deafness.
l have seen quinine frequently given in
very large doses in several Southern
States, but have never seen an unfavOra-
Bile result attributable to the remedy.
The stories of loss of sight, or of men
tai power, or of quinine getting into
the bones" and producing all sorts of
terrible effects, have their origin, as
general thing, in the overweight i'm
aginations of hysterical or hypochon-
driac individuals. There is no record of
them in medical literature.
The effects of arsenic and other anti
malarial remedies are perhaps produced
in a similar manner as those of quinine.
| am disposed, however, to ascribe them
to different action. We must assume
that normally the human body and its
component elements, the cells, are capa-
BILE of resisting the attacks of the enemy
that comes in the shape of disease. But
II the enemy comes when the defenses
are weak at any point, when the blood
cells, for example, are below the stand
ard of health, an admission of
number of malarial germs, will endsn-
ger the defenses. The interlopers attack
the weakened cells, which readily sue
cumb, whereas if they were stronger they
could resist the attack. The constantly
increasing number of the enemy makes
greater and greater havoc among the de-
Tenders until finally not enough are left
to carry on the ordinary functions of
government, and life becomes extinct.
But suppose we could clothe these
weakened and vulnerable cells in suit
of armor? They might then bid defiance
to the onslaughts of the enemy, until the
latter, deprived of their appropriate
nourishment, themselves fell victims to
the cells they had attacked. There is
reason to believe that arsenic and GER
tain other remedies act in this way. By
enabling the cells to resist the injurious
action of the morbid germs, the latter
finally die out and leave no successors.
1t is believed that in this way dose of
alcohol, taken before going into a
malarial section, may enable the
system to temporarily withstand the
pernicious influence of the malarial
poison. The same explanation may be
given of the efficacy of the long-con-
tinued doses of arsenic, Peruvian bark,
small doses Of quinine, strychnine, and
other drugs used as preventives of
malaria. There is no doubt of their
effect, and only those who have been
negligent in their use generally suffer
1t is said that in Italy lemon, sliced
into pint of water, boiled down to half
q pint, strained and drank in the morn
ing, daily, will usually act as proven
tive of malarial infection. Probably the
citric acid in the lemon is the active
agent. This may act in similar manner
TO the alcohol or arsenic.
Relapsed cases are generally uncured
cases. If the anti nalarial remedy is
Used long enough and thoroughly enough
relapses are rare, unless the individual is
again exposed to the absorption of the
germ, which most probably gains an en-
rance to the blood through the inspired
air.
If compelled to reside in malarious
ocality, exposure to the outdoor air
after sunset and before sunrise should be
avoided. Sleeping rooms should be on
IN upper floor. A difference of few
eet in elevation above the ground makes
! difference in the liability to infec-
ion
Wherever one can choose his place of
'esidence it is better to avoid malaria
Infected atmosphere.
GEORGE H. RoHE, NJ. D.
A REMARKABLE UNIFORM.
The Beautiful Military Dress of the Young
King of Spain.